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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041184">Breathing Cues</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afoolforatook/pseuds/Afoolforatook'>Afoolforatook</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>An Anthology of Affection [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cellist Clover, Fluff, M/M, Musicians!AU, No Beta, Podfic, Podfic Length: 10-20 Minutes, Violinist Qrow, Wedding, Wedding Gifts, luthier Qrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:35:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Afoolforatook/pseuds/Afoolforatook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment of synchronicity when an orchestra takes one last breath before the first notes cut through the air. </p><p>Clover never thought he'd find that kind of connection again after his days spent in classical ensembles. </p><p>Qrow never thought he needed that after all his years of solo improvisation. </p><p>But they found it in each other. </p><p>------<br/>Part 6</p><p>Saw a post of kissing prompts. Liked a bunch of them. Decided to give myself a daily challenge to get myself actually publishing things while I work on bigger projects.</p><p>One prompt a day. Under 1500 words (or close to it). (or 1,000 over....)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>An Anthology of Affection [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>We went over with this one but I couldn't care. </p><p>This is a version of my wedding idea for my Musicians!Au. When I write that larger fic this might get extended or reworked a bit. </p><p>Here's my art of the cello (though I still need to design the bow, as well as Qrow's penannulars).<br/>https://afoolforatook.tumblr.com/post/620596581249482752</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prompt 6 - Wild, breathless kisses brought on by a heartfelt gift.</p><p>Breathing Cues</p><p>-----------</p><p>Qrow smiled, ignoring the weight of everyone else’s eyes on him. He just watched as Clover lifted the lid from the long thin box and unwrapped the layer of fabric draped inside.</p><p>His heart was stuck in his throat as he waited for Clover’s reaction.</p><p>He watched his… his husband’s cheeks bloom with a splash of color, his eyes going wide as he took in the slender piece of wood, marked with glints of steel and soft swirling abalone.</p><p>Clover picked the bow up carefully, still in awe of every new detail he took in. A thin, smooth winding curled around the lower third of the stick, a soft leather grip lacing over it. Qrow knew how traditional winding chafed the side of his finger, but how a slick grip felt too loose in his hold. The texture of the grip reminded him of the leather cording at Qrow’s own wrist.</p><p>On the pale head plate of the tip was a tiny carving, two emblems perfectly merged. The frog sat comfortably below the ferrule, edged with a thin abalone slide that led down to a pale wooden heel before reaching the light glint of the red and green dotted screw.</p><p>Instead of a pearl eye on the frog, each side sported a carving. One of a delicate stemmed clover, and one a curving feather. Two spiraling floral motifs curled around each symbol and then laced together over the exposed stick above the ebony frog.</p><p> </p><p>He hadn’t said a word, mouth slightly agape as he turned the creation over in his hands, testing out his bow hold, feeling how easily the object balanced in his palm, how smoothly it followed the push and pull of his wrist.</p><p>Qrow broke the silence. “I know you’re particular about the weight distribution and length balance… I... “ He laughed shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I might have gotten measurements one night while you were sleeping… I hope it’s right…”</p><p>Clover slowly looked up at him and his smile melted every worry from Qrow’s mind. “Qrow, it… It’s perfect.”</p><p>He pulled a pale hand towards him and kissed the slim band of metal that he had placed there only an hour before. “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>Clover released Qrow’s hand and gently placed the delicately carved bow back into the box on the table beside him.</p><p>Then he reached into a pocket on the inside of his vest, drawing out a small round object wrapped in emerald cloth and handing it to Qrow.</p><p>“I might not have your crafting skills but…”</p><p>Qrow raised an eyebrow in curiosity, folding open the soft fabric. A breath rushed from him as he saw the two silver crests, both speared by curving pins. Carefully sculpted wire vines, with blooming clover buds branching out, tangling around a feather, which curved so that the textured tip nearly touched the pointed quill.</p><p>Two mirror-image penannular brooches, connected by a long braided chain.</p><p> </p><p>Clover silently took them from Qrow’s hand and deftly pinned them on either side of his neck, further securing the delicate cape that sat atop his shoulders in place of the usual tattered red cloth.</p><p>Clover brushed the fabric out smoothly, making sure both pieces sat evenly as he spoke. “The chain detaches as well and they can be used individually. So… If one of us ever has to go out alone, we can still hold each other together.”</p><p>Now Qrow’s mouth hung open, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. He sniffled quickly, rubbing the sensation from his eyes and grabbing Clover’s hand before he could back away again.</p><p>He pulled him forward, pressing a firm, burning kiss to his lips. “You’re such a sap.”</p><p>“Look who’s talking.” Clover quipped, nodding to the bow now lying in soft fabric.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow rolled his eyes and then smirked. “Well, Lucky Charm. It’s almost time for a certain dance, but first…”</p><p>He smiled kindly at the ensemble they had set to play the reception.</p><p>“I’m fond of this band we have, but there’s someone else I want to hear play first.” He winked smugly.</p><p>Clover quirked an eyebrow cautiously. “Qrow, my cello’s still back at the house. I mean I know it’s not far but…”</p><p>Qrow raised a hand, standing and reaching for Clover to follow. “What, Shamrock, you think I wouldn’t plan ahead?”</p><p>Clover rolled his eyes but carefully plucked the bow from the box and followed Qrow, smiling as he led him away from the small gathering of tables to two lone chairs. Clover’s cello case had been carefully propped against the back of one.</p><p>He looked at Qrow quizzically as he walked over to his case. “Two chairs? You playing with me?” He paused then, noting that Qrow’s violin case wasn’t in sight. And that Qrow never sat while playing.</p><p> </p><p>He was stopped by a soft tutting call from Qrow as his hand rested on the top of his case, poised to click open the first latch.</p><p>“Well, I just thought, being us... That a first duet might be a bit more fitting.” There was a wild glint in those crimson eyes that had Clover’s head spinning trying to understand what was happening.</p><p>He stopped short, taken aback as Qrow’s words sunk in. “I thought you hadn’t finished working out the violin transcription?”</p><p>“I haven’t.” Qrow stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.</p><p>Clover was growing more and more confused.</p><p> </p><p>And then Qrow slipped a hand under the table he was leaning against and Clover’s breath caught in his throat.</p><p>The self-taught violinist; raised on fiddle tunes and ear training, who griped about the ridiculous intricacies of sheet music, who couldn’t help but move and sway with every languid pull of his bow, produced another cello case from beneath the table.</p><p>His smile had changed as he walked over to Clover, cradling the neck of the case in his arm as he lifted the side by a sling latched handle.</p><p>“Qrow… did you…” He felt a bubbling pride and wave of adoration thrum in his chest as he watched his husband lay the case on the ground between the chairs.</p><p>“How long have you…”</p><p>“You know how I had to exile you from the shop last year?” His voice was tinged with a spark that Clover still couldn’t decipher.</p><p>He squinted. “There’s no way it took you that long though. I don’t care how much you say you hate sheet music. You can sight-read nearly perfectly, even switching clef and instrument wouldn’t trip you up for too long.”</p><p>Qrow shrugged, smirking once more. Clover gave in and turned back to his case. He clicked the latches open and propped the lid open, smiling as he fished out his rosin block and prepped his new bow.</p><p> </p><p>He was reaching for the neck of his instrument when Qrow stopped him once more, laughing in feigned humility.</p><p>“Silly me, that’s the wrong case. Here, Cloves, this one’s for you.”</p><p>Clover stared at him as Qrow nudged the still closed case towards him.</p><p>“No, pretty bird, I’m pretty sure I know my cello.”</p><p>Qrow stared at him softly, gently tilting his chin down to the case between them. “Clover. Just open it.”</p><p> </p><p>Clover’s mouth was dry as he slid from his chair, kneeling in front of the foreign hard case.</p><p>It was plain, but up close he noticed a careful impression along the edge of the lid. He saw the familiar crest engraved on the silver latches.</p><p>His hands were shaking slightly as he opened the case; the case that was emblazoned with Qrow’s luthier signature.</p><p>Clover knew that he had lifted the lid himself, but in his mind, it opened on its own. He would swear that there was an aura emanating from the dark gleaming wood that peered up at him from soft velvet emerald padding.</p><p>His hands covered his mouth, uselessly trying to stifle the sob that tore from his chest as he took in detail upon detail of painstakingly delicate craftsmanship.</p><p> </p><p>The spiraling and branching carvings on the scroll. The carefully inset hand-dyed abalone fixtures. The clover emblems barely visible on the pegs. The hand-cut, hand placed, hand-driven purling that curved around the bouts. The pearl inlay on the dark ebony fingerboard. The combined emblem, matching the head plate on the bow, that butted up against sculpted metal fine tuners.</p><p>He lifted it up, placing the shining endpin on the plush padding with all the care in the world as he spun the instrument and felt the tears start to fall as he took in the sloping curve of the back.</p><p>A dark feather was burned into the back of the scroll stock, encircled by more of the weaving floral motif. The blonde grain of the neck was broken by a measured carving that he recognized as ogham glyphs. Mo Anam Cara. My soul mate. Right before the neck met the upper bout was the sweeping scrawl of Qrow’s signature. But now a curling E trailed behind the familiar B.</p><p>But his gaze continued down and he swore his breath must have stopped, but it didn’t matter. The arching, shining, twisting design of knotwork was all he saw. A green labyrinth of turns sat at the narrowest center of the dark wood. And a line connecting two crimson triskelions, one tail held in the beak of a knotwork crow. The other tied to the stem of a twisting clover.</p><p> </p><p>Clover hesitated before tracing the patterns with his finger. He didn’t know when Qrow had moved to sit beside him, but his voice was thick and sweet as it reached Clover.</p><p>“I never said you were exiled so I could practice. Learning the piece only took a couple of weeks. But this… this had to be perfect.”</p><p>It took every shred of concentration he had for Clover to carefully set the instrument down before slowly turning to Qrow.</p><p>Qrow was still smirking, nearly beaming, as he teased. “Surpri-”</p><p> </p><p>The word was swallowed as Clover pulled him forward in a flash of movement, crashing their lips together like a flip had been switched and they were colliding forces; each other’s gravity entirely inescapable. His hand that wasn’t curled in Qrow’s collar twisted in his hair, keeping him close as Clover took tiny gasping breaths before returning over and over.</p><p>He huffed a breath of laughter at the startled grunt his rough embrace drew from Qrow, who had to throw his hand back to steady them both before Clover toppled them backward.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow’s free hand steadied on Clover’s waist, pushing him back slightly to relieve the pressure on his other arm. He laughed breathlessly whenever Clover gave him the chance, his voice rich and teasing.</p><p>“You don’t like it do you?” He mocked, laughing again as Clover nipped his lip quickly in unamused response.</p><p>He let the other man settle, though he never loosened his grip in his hair, or let more than an inch come between their lips.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow was however becoming increasingly aware of everyone around them, who were at least giving the couple a moment of privacy. Though he knew he heard the stifled giggles of a certain electric redhead. He had never been so glad to hear Winter’s chiding tone as she graciously distracted the crowd.</p><p>His attention flew back to Clover as he felt the cool drop of tears against his cheeks.</p><p>Qrow pulled back, cupping Clover’s cheek. He chuckled softly as Clover chased him once more, and his heart flipped as he heard a tiny whimper at his retreat.</p><p> </p><p>When Clover found him again he was softer, slower, and Qrow could feel his breathing shake with gentle crying.</p><p>He whispered his husband’s name against his lips. Or he tried. But Clover interrupted him again, this time with his own words, still pressed tight to Qrow.</p><p>“You-” A soothing kiss.</p><p>“You ridiculous old bird.” A searing collision.</p><p>“You crazy, beautiful man.” A tear slicked caress of lips.</p><p>And then there was an open-mouthed tremble of a sigh. Qrow felt Clover’s fingers flex their grip in his collar and hair and he instinctively ran his thumb along his hip soothingly.</p><p>“What in the world…” A crisp shaky inhale that seemed to pull Qrow forward magnetically.</p><p>“What did I do to deserve you?”</p><p> </p><p>The fragile whimper of a question nearly caused Qrow to lose his balance and he stammered for a moment, usual banter flying from his lips.</p><p>“That’s my line, Sham-.”</p><p>And he stopped himself. He lifted his hand from the ground, raising both hands to hold Clover’s face securely, ingraining one last kiss against his lips.</p><p>“Breathe. That’s all you had to do, Clover. One breath and you had every part of me.”</p><p> </p><p>Clover stared at him, eyes bloodshot, cheeks ablaze. Finally, he turned his head, kissing into the palm cupped against his face.</p><p>“Now who’s stealing lines?”</p><p>Qrow smiled sheepishly, trailing his fingers lightly along the underside of Clover’s jaw until he drew out a tiny giggle with the tickling sensation.</p><p>Clover leaned in and kissed him once more.</p><p> </p><p>“So…” Qrow mused, starting to glance at the crowd, still feigning gracious ignorance, around them. “We’re not going to let all my practicing go to waste, are we?”</p><p>He frowned teasingly, nodding to the cello.</p><p>“I did practice on it a little bit, to stretch the strings out some, so sorry. But you’ll still have the first real performance on it.”</p><p>Clover nodded gladly, ignoring the rising heat in his cheeks once more, as he realized how much he had let his emotions run away from him.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow pushed up to his knees, planting a soft kiss on the crown of Clover’s head, before standing and moving to the abandoned case.</p><p>He handed Clover the matching bow and clicked the old one from the holder inside the case, turning the screw a few times and swiping across the rosin.</p><p> </p><p>After a moment of tuning, they sat side by side. They looked over at each other and nodded, eyes glued together as they took a simultaneous slow inhale and then, in perfect synchronicity, two bows dragged across strings.</p><p>And every bit fit together perfectly.</p><p>Meticulously carved wood felt like it had always known the shape of Clover’s hands.</p><p>Qrow followed his guiding breaths, before breaking into a gentle harmony.</p><p>The crowd gathered and again faded around them.</p><p>Clover let his fingers fly across the ebony fingerboard and his heart swelled as he watched his husband play.</p><p>He smiled with all the tenderness he could possibly muster as he noticed long legs tapping rhythmically, the tiniest wiggle in Qrow’s hips as his body melded with the melody like always.</p><p> </p><p>Qrow was right.</p><p>Other people had first dances.</p><p>But this was their duet.</p><p> </p><p>And Clover knew that, even as the last reverberations of their vibrato faded, it was far from over.</p><p>Every breath they took from there on was part of the other.</p><p>All they had to do was breathe.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Podfic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <p><a href="https://soundcloud.com/farley-141208444">Farley - Afoolforatook</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/farley-141208444/breathing-cues-podfic/s-154EqrXGnNa">Breathing Cues Podfic</a></p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A few little hiccups here and there, and one line I had to re-record that I just couldn't get to make the room of the rest of the thing...</p><p>Also, Sylvie... </p><p>-----</p><p>This is the piece they play, though without the vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baNueuDCue0</p><p>though it is a small piece/version of Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDRWdNn_nLk</p><p>Copeland's composition was inspired by the traditional hymn Simple Gifts in the first video.</p><p>Shout out to @delta_altair's fic Sonata For Two for reminding me what song I wanted to use for their duet (and for just being gorgeous in general)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the piece they play, though without the vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baNueuDCue0</p><p>though it is a small piece/version of Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDRWdNn_nLk</p><p>Copeland's composition was inspired by the traditional hymn Simple Gifts in the first video.</p><p>Shout out to @delta_altair's fic Sonata For Two for reminding me what song I wanted to use for their duet (and for just being gorgeous in general)</p><p> </p><p>-------------</p><p>There were 50 prompts originally, but I've already thought of a few more. Also had multiple ideas for a few, which is why some might be listed as chapter 1, with a future version of the prompt coming later.</p><p>Might not end up sticking strictly to the daily thing, but I'll do my best. Either way, here's an ongoing series of little moments.</p><p>Original prompt list - https://kashimalin-fanfiction.tumblr.com/post/178524845380/50-types-of-kisses-writing-prompts</p><p>Might edit here and there later, but the goal here was to just finish something, even if it's not perfectly polished.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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